Alumni Spotlight - Chicago Office

This month, we welcomed Emily Holtzman back to Husch Blackwell as an Associate in our Chicago office. Emily brings a wealth of experience from her previous years at the firm, having first joined in 2021, as well as recent clerkship experience assisting the Hon. Nancy Maldonado in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and, more recently, at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, concluding in 2025.

Emily’s return quickly showcased the practical benefits of teamwork and strong internal networks. Shortly after rejoining, she was introduced to the Financial Services & Capital Markets team, and within days, Richard Swor (Senior Associate | Nashville) and Tim Capria (Office Managing Partner | Nashville) reached out to her for assistance on a matter for a client. Drawing on her fresh perspective and experience, Emily helped the team swiftly address new client needs, demonstrating the value of collaboration and diverse experience.

We spoke with Emily about her career path, her experiences both inside and outside the firm, and what brought her back to Husch Blackwell:

Can you share a bit about your journey with Husch Blackwell, both before and after your clerkships?

I started at Husch Blackwell as a summer associate in the St. Louis office after my 2L year of law school. I really enjoyed that experience and joined the firm as an associate in the commercial litigation group after I finished law school. I worked in that group in St. Louis for about three years, and in early 2024, I decided to pursue a clerkship opportunity in Chicago. One clerkship turned into two, and when my second clerkship was coming to an end, I knew that returning to Husch Blackwell was the right move for me. I also loved living in Chicago during my clerkship and wanted to stay here, so I’m excited to join the Chicago office and expand my network within the firm while still getting to work with familiar faces in St. Louis as well.

What motivated you to pursue your recent clerkship positions, and how did your experience at Husch Blackwell prepare you for those roles?

I was always interested in clerking because it’s such a unique way to learn about and understand the courts. Almost everyone you talk to who has clerked highly recommends it and has only great things to say about the experience. As I was finishing up my third year at the firm, I decided to pursue a clerkship and was fortunate to accept a position with Judge Maldonado. Since I already had experience practicing at Husch Blackwell, I think this gave me a helpful perspective in chambers. I had a better understanding of the rules and how cases progress than I did when I first graduated from law school. I also think my experience at Husch Blackwell prepared me to work on a team with my co-clerks and to communicate effectively with Judge Maldonado.

What inspired you to return to the firm after your time in the courts?

I wanted to come back to a firm that I knew was doing interesting work at a high level, and where I could gain meaningful experience to continue developing my skills as an attorney. I also had great mentoring relationships during my time at Husch Blackwell and wanted to foster those relationships again so I could continue learning from the talented attorneys here.

Are you seeing any emerging trends or changes in your practice area that excite you?

The use of AI and the number of different AI tools available to attorneys have proliferated since I left the firm. It’s a fine line between excitement and fear, especially considering how quickly these tools have improved, but I’m excited to work on my own skills with AI so I can deliver better results and work product overall.